Keep raw meat away from ready-to-eat food

Raw meat can contain food poisoning bugs. So if raw meat touches or drips onto food that is already cooked or ready to eat, the bugs can get onto that food. Bugs can also transfer onto food from your hands, chopping board, knife or tongs. This is called cross-contamination. You can prevent it by doing the following things.

Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat.

Use separate utensils for raw and cooked meat.

Never put cooked food on a plate or surface that has been used for raw meat.

Keep raw meat in a sealed container away from ready-to-eat foods, such as burger buns and salads.

Don't put raw meat products next to cooked or partially cooked meat on the barbecue.

Don't add sauce or marinade to cooked food if it has already been used with raw meat.